Moonvasion Prelude! Ready As I'll Ever Be
by hackeline83
Summary: No matters what, I'm going to safe my home, my family, even of it costs me everything, after all... they have Della. the death of Donald and the birth of Cold Shadow.


Ready as I'll ever be.

Ducktales one shot!

Summary: No matters what, I'm going to safe my home my family, even of it costs me everything, after all... they have Della.

Notes: Donald here seems to be bitter, and in fact he is, after everything he lost, he's not happy, read to find out.

Donald sighed disappointedly as he stares blankly, if you must call it that, at the now cold cup of herbal medicine in front him, amazed at how small and very useful plans could grow on the moon. But no matter how stronger the herbs are or how incredible advanced the technology is here, the moon's people could gave him back what Lunaris stole from him.

His sight.

He's blind thanks to him, and to add more salt to the wound Penumbra was taken prisoner. Their weird friendship started as odd as every friendship Donald has, first as enemies then close friends, with Penumbra, being the only one who really knew about Lunaris' true self. She faked her obedience, and never did all the horrible things Lunaris ordered her to do, instead they actually tried to stop him, and even planned an ambush when he less expected.

But in the end, the surprised ones were they. Now he's there, tightening his hold on his cup, wondering how in the world had this maniac found out their plans. It all started five weeks ago, when he supposedly went to a cruiser and ended up in the moon. After being saved from a beating by the second time in a row, Donald had asked the reason for her to stay with him, saving him. And she told him it wasn't fair for him, or to earth, she just wants the safety of her home, and a war it's quite the opposite of that. She told him about how Della came, and how filled the Moonlanders' heads with ideas, Penumbra admits that maybe she's a little ashamed for blaming Della for this, but it's something she can't help herself. And, in fact Donald understands, he wants to be angry, but he's so used to clean up his sister's messes that his anger disappears as soon as it came.

For the rest of the first week she keep him company, telling him about Lunaris plans. As days went by, they grew on each other, now fully trusting and putting all of their efforts on ambush him, waiting for the perfect moment, and after a month it finally came.

"God Dammit..." he hissed, remembering how happy he felt at that time, ignorant of what would happen that time. "God dammit..."

At that time he was more than happy to heard that, and not only that but also Penumbra told him about a couple of rockets ready to be used. The plan was simple enough, surprise Lunaris, kick the evil out of him and then steal one rocket to go home while Penumbra destroys the others along with the instructions. As they sneaked into the palace Penumbra made him promise that he won't tell anyone about the moon's people and she promised that she will make sure Lunaris never reach earth or another planet, and also she demanded to not let Della come back, and he agreed.

They eventually found where Lunaris kept weapons and some peculiar clothing, Donald even mused about ninjas, since the clothing weren't gold like the others but black, with a red belt. He without a question got rid of his old ones and put on this ones, he even found a Bo staff. Ready to go he packed his things, and then headed back to the castle. With an air of confidence and sure he was going home soon, he glared at his home planet for a last time before following Penumbra towards the throne room.

That was indeed the last time he saw his home planet, or anything at all.

They stormed into the room, weapons ready, only to find several guards and witnesses in there, with a very confident Lunaris.

"Finally, the guests of honor arrives!" He says with a sickly sweet tone. "Seize them."

A pair of rough set of arms hold him still, with a strength Donald didn't thought they had. With Penumbra they hesitated, but when they apprehend her they were a lot more gentle.

Lunaris took his sweet time to acknowledge them again, he went right to Penumbra and slapped her across the face. Everyone flinched, even Lunaris himself, he even looked like he regretted his action, but then his neutral mask fell back on.

"I'm sorry this have to be this way." He said, Penumbra said nothing. "But you know I don't take kindly betrayal."

Lunaris turned his head to a young woman, a scientist, apparently. He gestured her to come closer, and order her to give him the liquid she was holding.

"Since you refuse to see reason... " he whispers. "You won't see at all!"

With a smooth move he threw the container, the liquid heading straight for Penumbra.

"PENUMBRA!" Donald screamed as he managed to break free from his captors, maybe because they were in shock, and ran across the room to reach the his friend.

Without thinking, and by some miracle he successfully pushed Penumbra away from the imminent danger. Penumbra and her stunned captors fell to the floor, dazed but fine. But as he did so, he condemned himself to eternal darkness.

By pure instinct he looked towards Lunaris' direction, to see if it was a opportunity to attack.

But he didn't have time to react, and Lunaris' surprised face caught his attention, before realizing what was about to happen.

It was the last thing he ever saw. Lunaris was the last thing.

The chemicals in the tube sprayed over Donald's face, burning it without any mercy.

"AARGGGHHH!", Donald let out a loud scream, even some of the moon lander felt sympathy for him. Donald reflexively put his hands over his eyes, feeling his tears mix with his blood. Donald was writhing on the floor, still screaming, he couldn't hear what happened next, after a few seconds of pure agony he finally passed out.

He eventually woke up, surprised by two things, he was alive and he was blind. He cried, he yelled, he sworn, he even blamed Della for it. It took what he felt an eternity to cool down, when he heard someone entering his room, or cell, he didn't knew back then. She tells him her name, Andromeda , and explained what happened after he passed out.

By the actions towards Penumbra, some of the moon people felt terrified of Lunaris, and backed off. The new group, about thirty managed to flee the scene with him in tow. And were now hiding in the dark side of the moon, were they find another rocket, so they took it as their new home. As the days passed and he was getting used to be blind, he found several weapons on the ship, and he gasped as he touched it.

All of them were Evronians, his heart got trapped on his throat, Andromeda, who was beside him asks about it.

"This weapons..." he says but then... he froze as he noticed something.

He wasn't chewing the gum, he didn't have it anymore. He starts panicking, his hands clutching his chest.

"Andromeda...! How I am breathing!?" He shakes, he feels his tears running freely. "Th- the g- gum! I- it's gone!"

Andromeda tensed, and surprisingly Donald can feel it, through his shaking breaths he realizes something.

He's blind, but he can hear everything, he's blind, but he can feel everything, he's blind, but he can fight everything.

"Apparently, the acid Lunaris threw at you had some positive side effects, Donald." She explained sadly, and Donald could tell she was on the verge of tears." You're adapting pretty fast to your problem. And to be honest, I didn't noticed you had stopped chewing."

He faced her, his dazed, dull eyes were unnerving. "Tell me something more, Andromeda."

She nodded. "Anything."

"How bad does it looks."

Donald felt her tense even more, her heart rate raising a bit. "That bad?"

"I don't know how to call it."

It wasn't that bad, in her opinion. His once deep blue eyes are now grey, almost hidden behind his damaged cornea. The area around his eyes has spider's web like of scars, very noticeable but not grotesque, part of his beak is burned, and it's scarred, but otherwise his face isn't deformed.

"You look well enough." She says. "Now, can you tell me about this ship and its creepy weapons?"

Donald smiled at that, then processed to explain Andromeda about their new resources.

"They are very potent, so I need you and your team to downgrade them, so they only stun not kill.

"Count on me."

He sighs once more, his mind drifting back to the present, as he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked up to "see" that it was Andromeda, no less, smiling warmly at him. He gave her a slight smile, she was the only one who fully trust him, but his smile quickly disappeared as he turned back to his tea.

Andromeda frowned. "We'll stop him. Donald, I promise."

He didn't say anything, he simply nodded.

"Tomorrow's the day."

"Tomorrow's the day."

She rubbed her hand on his back, before adding." Get some rest, when you wake the troops will be ready."

With a sigh, he drank his tea.

[•••••]

The day finally came, even if he's not ready, he must do it now. He's going to attack earth today, after a good rest he's now refreshed. He's so confident about his victory, nothing can stand on his way, not even that group of traitors.

What can they do anyways? Thirty and a blind duck against hundreds. But now, he's so close to get earth that he's willing to make sacrifices, even if that means spilling blood of innocents.

"Lunaris!" Penumbra started from the corner of the room, she's shackled, her hands tied together, a heavy chain held her in place by the ankle. "Please! There is still a chance to stop this madness. There is still a chance to reconcile with our people and we can still prevent anyone from getting hurt! Let him go, he promised! Donald promised to not tell anyone about our home! "

Lunaris grabs the golden railing in front of him, ignoring Penumbra and watching the large crowd of people getting ready in the distance. Rockets and lanterns surround them, separating their forms from the dark atmosphere. His grip tightens around the golden railing.

He darkly chuckled, shaking his head and turned his head to her.

She flinched, and Lunaris smirked at her. "Any moment now, Lieutenant."

He turned again towards the window outlooking the blue planet above the sky. "Believe me, I know. I've sunk pretty low. But whatever I've done, they deserved." He snarled, and clenched his fist.

Penumbra had sweat streaking down her face, these past days have been almost too much for her. "Lunaris…"

"QUIET!" He snapped. "I'm the bad guy, that's fine. It's no fault of mine, and some justice at last will be served!"

"Please, listen!" Penumbra cried, her fists clenched, trying to get free.

Moving back towards the balcony as he's going, Lunaris grabs his golden cloak from a chair, swinging it onto his shoulders. Penumbra sadly realizes how much her General, her FRIEND has changed, how different the person before his looked with the battle clothing cover his back. She can only watch her once friend reach for the railing, opening the strong wind to touch his face.

Lunaris placed his hand over his chest, then turned back towards Penumbra with a determined look in his eyes. "Now it's time to step up, or it's time to back down, and there's only one answer for me!"

The bloodthirsty look he has on his face made Penumbra sick, her struggling got harder. Lunaris noticed, and took pleasure of it, he grasped her jaw harshly, and looking dead in the eyes he continued.

"And I'll stand up and fight, 'cause I know that I'm right, and I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready! Ready as I'll ever be!"

...

...

...

...

...

..

.

The small army of thirty one gathered in the borders of the future battlefield, the guards, not noticing them. All busy working on the last details for the invasion, visibly tired.

Donald took his place in the front, he's wearing his new gears, his black ninja like attire. With his red belt and a red cloth on his eyes, covering his scars, since he knows they look unnerving.

He can feel the small army's insecurity, but he decided to give a small speech. "Dear moon people, I promise you all, I promise you that I'll do everything in my power to give you back your peace, I promise!"

A random moonlander huffed. "Your sister said something similar! She's the reason we're fucked in the first place."

That statement hit him like a bucket of bricks, but quickly re collected himself. "I can't change the past, but you're damn sure I'll fight for the future, and I'll make you a vow."

The moon landers were silent. Until I get Lunaris to see reason, until I get to give you back what my sister took, I'll give up my name."

He's tired, he's always tired, ever since they went on adventures with his uncle, he's the one to clean up the mess, only for them to get the glory. He remembers all the broken bones, all the bruises and wounds he got, all the advice he gave only to be ignored right away. Now he's going to show them, to SHAME them with his victory, or with his failure.

He will not win as Donald.

He will not die as Donald.

"Until I fulfill my promise my name will be Cold Shadow."

Shadow... a place where he's always welcome, no matter whether he is. His uncle, his sister, or his nephews.

Cold Shadow stood on a big rock overlooking the Lunaris' castle, which was surrounded by his army.

He turned towards Andromeda, and a few of his own soldiers. "Now it's time to rise up, or it's time to stand down, and the answer is easy to see."

Finally, the army got the confidence they needed. Cold Shadow, with his Bo staff raised yelled. " And I swear by my oath, if you're in, get on board. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready!" Andromeda answered, stepping forward.

"I'm ready!" The moonlander who questioned Cold Shadow agreed, though his eyes were still doubtful.

"We're ready!" the rest of the army joined in, several of them raising their fists.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Cold Shadow finished.

[•••••]

They started the attack, they didn't expected it, and surprisingly most of them surrendered.

[••••••]

"Are you quite sure you want to do this?" Penumbra asked, looking out over the now under attack base.

"I will do it if this guarantees!" Lunaris told her. "That I'll make them fear me!"

[•••••]

"Now it's time to redeem, or it's time to resolve." both armies chanted.

[••••••]

"Prove that they can trust him!" Penumbra said, tears forming in her eyes as she thought of Donald, and fearing for Lunaris as well.

[•••••••]

" And the outcome will hardly come free" Cold Shadow army chanted as they marched down the hall alongside their leader.

Cold Shadow clenched his hands as he thought of the sacrifices made by the resistance, and the ones he's willing to make. "I'll save my home and family!"

[•••••••]

"Now the line's in the sand, and our moment's at hand!" the opposites armies shouted, raising their weapons as they each others.

[••••••]

Andromeda looked up, and charged her weapon, stunning her once friend. "And I'm ready."

"I'm ready!" Polaris, the one who doubted Cold Shadow yelled as he fought.

"I'm ready!" Lunaris' army shouted.

[•••••]

"I'm ready!" Cold Shadow said as he ran into the throne room.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Lunaris smirked as he heard the hero. He turned to see Cold Shadow, in that stupid costume.

Let the war begin.

**The End.**

**Final note.**

**I know a lot of people Head canon that Penumbra suddenly considers Della her friend, but I don't believed that and I'd actually want to believe that in the future, though she no longer hates her, will not become her best friend. Let's remember the lesson that "Recess" gave us.**

**You can't be liked by everyone. **

**Remember, Gordi (I think it was the boy's name) never liked TJ, not even after everything the latter did. So the same for Della and Penumbra, she no longer hates her, but doesn't likes her either, just tolerate her. **


End file.
